Events

Excursion to Kotagede and Onrust

Fourth TANAP Conference in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

The last day of the workshop was reserved for an excursion to Kotagede (the Royal Cemetery of Mataram), the Prambanan (Hindu) and Borobudur (Budhist) Temples. During the little procession that was organized at Kotagede, the visitors were obliged to wear traditional Javanese dresses, provided by the host. The visitors washed their feet and hands in two separate wells inside the cemetery complex.

On Friday and Saturday, most of the participants travelled to Jakarta to the Hotel Batavia. On Saturday and Sunday, Dr. L. Wagenaar and the Director of Museum Fatahilla, Ms. Tinia Budiati, organized a tour through the old city of Batavia, visiting the town hall museum and the maritime museum, Museum Bahari close to the old roadstead of Sunda Kelapa, the old harbour.

Furthermore, a boat trip was made to the island of Onrust, a former shipyard of the VOC. The stormy weather could not spoil this wonderful excursion. Dr. Lodewijk Wagenaar enthusiastically showed the group around the remains of the settlements on Onrust. While walking around the island, he vividly explained how over-time, the island changed from a defence base to a naval base and finally functioned as a quarantine station in the early 20th century. He also informed us about the archaeological excavations that had been performed on the island since the 1980?s. The little museum showed some of the excavated pieces, which gave insight into daily life on the island. Perhaps most impressive of all was the old graveyard with its sad stone inscriptions for deceased loved-ones. After a fine lunch, another short boat trip brought the group to one of the neighbouring islands. This island was heavily fortified against the British early in the nineteenth century. The dramatic remains were still visible, but the little island now functioned as a friendly resort. Once the storm had quieted down, it was a pleasant journey back to the mainland.